If you have ever flown a drone, there’s a decent chance that you’ve dealt with the dreaded prospect of signal loss. When faced with this situation, it’s crucial for you to have a plan in place to prevent damage or total loss of your drone. Luckily, DJI drones offer different options to ensure a safe recovery of your device when a signal is lost. Today, Kyle from Stay Gold Visuals goes over what your options are.
Understanding Your Options
When a DJI drone loses its connection with the controller, there are three preset options available to ensure safe recovery.
Land Immediately
In this mode, the drone will land at the spot where it loses the connection. While it might be useful in certain controlled environments, this option is not recommended unless you are certain of a safe and flat landing area with no people around.
Hover in Place
Choosing this option makes the drone hover at its current location when the connection is lost. This setting is useful if you anticipate that you’ll be able to approach and retrieve the drone where it’s hovering. However, it’s not the safest option in all circumstances, particularly in areas with obstacles or if you are unable to reach the drone promptly. For example, it doesn’t do you much good if your drone is hovering in the middle of a lake.
Return to Home
According to Kyle, this is the most secure and advisable option. With “Return to Home,” the drone automatically navigates back to its takeoff point (or a preset home point) upon losing signal. This feature ensures that your drone will return to a familiar location where you can easily retrieve it.
Above you can see your three options listed.
More on “Return to Home”
One important thing that Kyle mentions in regards to the “Return to Home” function is that it might not bring the drone back to the exact takeoff point. Rather, it ensures the drone is within the vicinity, allowing pilots to land it manually from there. This feature is particularly invaluable if you lose sight or communication with your drone, providing an automated safety net that brings your equipment back to you.
Wanna Learn More?
Understanding and selecting the right recovery option can be the difference between losing your drone and a successful flight. Familiarizing yourself with these features enhances the safety and enjoyment of your drone flying experience and gives you confidence next time you’re flying.
If you are passionate about uncrewed aerial systems, consider learning more with Sonoran Desert Institute at their School of Uncrewed Technology. To find out more information, click the link here.
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